Sandra Urist, chair of the Westport Board of Education (l), was among officials of the Connecticut Association for Boards of Education (CABE), who met recently with Gov. M. Jodi Rell (r). Urist is CABE vice president for government relations. The group discussed a number of issues with Rell and asked for her support to encourage change and flexibility in the federal No Child Left Behind Law. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Nancy Harris: $25,000 to be returned to town.WN photo The Westport Board of Education tonight considers a request to return $25,524.81 to the town from its 2003-2004 budget of $70 million.

A memo from Nancy J. Harris, assistant superintendent for business, said the surplus resulted from a number of areas, including $209,915 in health insurance savings, $120,992 in special ed transportation costs, and $84,913 generated in contracted maintenance.

There were budget deficits in the salaries and contracted service accounts.

The maintenance savings were mostly due to a change in cardboard handling within the district and an improvement in the recycling program that resulted in elimination of a Saturday pickup for each school, Harris said.

Staples High School Principal John J. Brady said today he is the finalist candidate for a superintendent’s job in a Connecticut school system.
John Brady: considering offer. WN photo

Brady said an earlier report by WestportNow quoting a source as saying he told a staff meeting Thursday he was resigning was incorrect.

“I am the finalist candidate,” he said. “I have not resigned and no decision has been made.”

Brady, 52, said school officials from the Amity Regional School District will travel to Westport Thursday to visit Staples and meet with community leaders.

He said he will then visit the Amity district and expects Amity officials to make a decision on his possible hiring soon thereafter, perhaps as early as next week.

Westport Schools Supt. Elliott Landon was among educators quoted today by The New York Times in a front-page story about schools affected by the No Child Left Behind law.

“In Westport, Conn., the Bedford Middle School, where test scores are often among Connecticut’s highest, was called low-performing because the school failed to meet the 95 percent standard for testing the disabled by one student (See WestportNow Aug. 22, 2003),” the newspaper said.

It then quoted Landon as saying, “It really bugs me that we got a black eye for a mechanical reason rather than for anything legitimate.”

The cafeteria was chaotic but spirits were high today as Westports newest crop of ninth graders began their first day at Staples High School. Today was Community Caring Day in which students signed up for extracurricular activities and found their way around the school. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Robert Nitkin for WestportNow.com

Coleytown Elementary School welcomed more than 60 kindergarteners today for the first day of school. Principal Kay May took this youngster in tow as pararprofessional Claire Yearwood looked on. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Westport’s students headed back to school today, including this kindergartener at Coleytown Elementary School. Art teacher Trudy Kelly gives her a helping hand. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Music teacher Jim Andrews was among Coleytown Elementary School teachers escorting students to classes today on the first day of school. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

With classes set to start Sept. 1, work is progressing quickly on getting the Staples High School campus ready while construction continues on the $74 million renovation and expansion project. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The interior hallways are starting to take shape at the new Staples High School. Board of Ed members toured the site Tuesday. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo